Last Destination [bagheera𝑥reader]

5, Well-Earned Kip

As of now, Bagheera, Kuta and Hatari laid in a spacious den not too far from the pack. She had practically fallen unconscious the minute they stepped foot in the den, and had been for just over an hour. The den had a wide, but short entrance, and sat evenly between two large trees.

Bagheera laid casually against a den wall, his attention lingering outside the den. Kuta sat at his side, watching Hatari with an anxious expression.

"She'll be okay," Bagheera reassured, for what must be the 10th time. He had exchanged a few conversations with the pup in the time, and came to quite like him. He reminded Bagheera of Mowgli, for they both had a similarly courageous mindset. 

"She probably didn't thank you," Kuta glanced at the cat, laying down, "but thank you for saving her, and me."

Bagheera smiled softly. "She was going to risk her for you, you know? You're lucky."

Kuta glanced at Hatari fondly. "Yeah, I wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for her." He paused, yawning. "I'm going to get some sleep, wake me when she wakes?" Kuta returned the cats gesture of a smile.

"Mhm," Bagheera nodded, watching as the pup settled himself at the back of the den, just behind him.

Bagheera had his head on his paws, perking his ears at a grumble. He turned to glance at Hatari, as she lifted her head with a huff. "I wouldn't, if I were you." The dame snapped her eyes up up at him, "you have pretty bad wounds, and I wasn't able to clean your other side."

Hatari shuffling onto her front, noting the right side of her torso still bloody and dusty. Bagheera stood, moving besides her. He glanced at her, silent asking if he were okay to continue, and she gave him a small nod.

The panther licked the wounds on Hatari's side as she let out a breath. "Thank you." She spoke, not shifting from where she laid, "I mean it. I don't really know what I would have done if you didn't get there, or Kuta." She had spotted the pup, asleep, in the den as soon as she woke, breathing a sigh of relief.

Bagheera paused, "I'm just glad I got there in time, thank Kuta for that."

The two held one another gaze, until Hatari stood up. Her ears almost touched the top of the den as she turned around. "How do I look? They could've gotten me worse," she trailed off, glancing over the wounds littering her pelt. Most were shallow, and would heal within a few weeks, but a couple were more prominent bite marks, tearing deeper into her skin.

Bagheera faltered for a moment. "I mean, I suppose. There's fresh running stream just beyond the next few trees, you should get a drink, clean up a little."

Hatari just noticed the sound of running water not too far from them. She gave a him a short smile, before waking out the den. Bagheera breathed a sigh. Sitting at the entrance, he could see her a little distance away at the stream. A rusting drew him from his thoughts.

"Hey Bagheera," the pup greeted, his maws parting in a shallow yawn. "Where'd Hatari go?" Kuta sat besides him at the entrance.

"Hatari's at the stream. Did you sleep alright?"

"Great, thanks. Is she okay? She got it pretty rough," he trailed off, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes.

"She's just fine. She only has a few terrible wounds, they just bled a lot." His gaze still watched her intensely.

"Go to her," Kuta urged, giving a lopsided smirk of sorts. Bagheera shook his head, doing a double take at the young wolf's expression.

"I just met her. We don't know each other."

"I wasn't going to say anything." Kuta mused, shrugging.

"You were looking at me funny." Bagheera gave an unamused reply.

"I was not."

"Were t-" the panther was cut of by his name being called.

"Bagheera," Hatari called out from down at the bank, glancing up to where the den was.

Kuta mumbled something under his breath, padding back into the den, making Bagheera roll his eyes. Wandering through the trees, he eventually got to the little stream. "You alright?" He asked, earning a nod from the female.

"I wish to ask you something," she glanced up at him, from where she stood, her front paws in the water.

A/n
while im enjoying writing this, let's pray I don't get bored 🤷‍♀️